Dr Vivek Bammi’s views on Indonesian diversity and what it could teach the world
When Vivek Bammi arrived in Jakarta eighteen years ago, pursuing his career as a history teacher in international schools, he was far from thinking that he would become a respected authority on Indonesia. His training in history and social anthropology gave him the background to develop a judicious perspective on this country and in particular Bali. Dr Bammi has devoted time and energy to the understanding of Indonesian history, philosophy and religions. It is no wonder that Dr Bammi has become a leading international educator in the field of Theory Of Knowledge, a component of the International Baccalaureate that spurs the curiosity of many students and strengthens critical thinking and understanding of multiple perspectives.
Artistic talent is another facet of his personality. He has become a photographer perhaps because he finds aesthetic pleasure in cultural diversity and today, he shares his sensitivity and views in his classes, exhibitions, speeches and books.
Born in the multi-ethnic north-eastern region of Assam in India, Vivek has always been inclined to exploring the world, its natural beauty and living cultures. He travelled extensively and his intuition, or his fate as he would say, led him to the vast and stunning archipelago that is Indonesia. Dr Bammi fell under its charm and naturally made it his second home. As an anthropologist and photographer, it was serendipity to find this paradise of cultural and bio diversity.
Two decades later, Dr Bammi has come to the informed conclusion that Indonesia’s culture and outlook have managed to blend many different influences into a working and refined way of life. Layers of animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, along with Western ideas, co-exist in a harmonious synthesis for the most part. He defines the country as mellow, tolerant, and with a moderate approach to life, leading to a friendly demeanor and creating a pleasant social ambience (quickly felt in its absence in many other countries!).
Throughout the years, his experiences and contacts with the Indonesian culture have been rich and varied but Bali threw a special cast on him from the very first day. Although not a practicing Hindu himself, he found the unique forms and practices of Balinese Hinduism fascinating and they immediately echoed his Indian roots and largely improved upon them. Today he admits that the beauty of Bali, its nature, its living cultural practices, and its people leave him always with an “aesthetic high”. Perhaps it is what he likes to call “Bali’s mysterious element” that has sustained his continued interest and love for the island. Even after numerous visits and study trips, he recognizes that much of Bali seems just beyond one’s grasp and understanding. Fortunately, that has only invited further engagement from him.
At a time when paranoia seems to rule our feelings about the world’s future, Vivek’s views on what makes Indonesia an exceptional place help us realize that the positive influences that Indonesia can have on the world. He talks against the misconceptions of the outside world on Indonesia and believes that this widespread negative representation is partly due to ignorance and partly because the Indonesian government and media do not project a favorable image or attempt to dispel misconceptions. Much more could be made of the emergence of a moderate, democratic, and progressively prosperous Muslim country in the last decade.
On the topic of terrorism and the terrorist attacks on Bali, Dr Bammi feels that Indonesia has dealt with the problem fairly well although it might be early days to say so. It has combined military intelligence against extremists and terrorist cells with an attempt to re-educate potential radicals. He believes that the use of moderate Muslim voices and leadership to counter extremism and radicalism is probably the best strategy in the long run.
Furthermore, Dr Bammi strongly believes in the assets and the future of Indonesia. For him, it could emerge as a leader of moderate Islam and thus play a decisive role in reconciling the so-called clash of civilizations, replacing it with a much more constructive dialogue of civilizations. Today’s globalizing world can and should learn from Indonesia even if the developed world tends to resist any lesson of wisdom from its less developed neighbors. However, Indonesia has the extraordinary ability to combine diverse religions, philosophies, and outlooks on life and can be a very powerful example for all. We live in a fast changing world, with new sociopolitical tensions, and we will increasingly need to show a similar tolerance and acceptance of multiple viewpoints, even those we strongly disagree with, if we want to achieve and maintain a climate of peace.
Bali is often seen as an oddity in the biggest Muslim country in the world. Its idiosyncrasies have generated much interest from anthropologists, artists and more recently tourists. When asked how he saw Bali fitting into the Indonesian puzzle, Dr Bammi explained that , in his opinion, much of the unity of Indonesia was aesthetic, and that Bali was a jewel in that mosaic. At its best, he sees it as fitting perfectly into the “unity in diversity” idea (but as seen recently with the anti-porn bill, this unity may be quite fragile!).
Although he agrees that there are elements of commercial exploitation, he nonetheless smiles when he says that Bali is much more than that! Balinese thinking and practices are flexible enough to accommodate many layers, and tourism remains just one of those layers. The incredible creativity of the arts and the continuity of religious practices are driven by much more than the need to satisfy tourist curiosity. His optimistic outlook on life makes him envisage that Bali could continue as a unique blend of tradition and creativity, maintaining cultural authenticity while satisfying the varying needs of its myriad visitors.
The future of the modern world will bring advances but also temptations, particularly material ones. Each nation and each individual will have to carefully find equilibrium and decide what in a culture needs to be preserved to maintain and carry on the world’s beauty and diversity. For Dr Bammi, Indonesia and Bali should remain firmly rooted in the strengths of their civilization – strong community bonds, openness to others, decency of human interaction, and the pursuit of aesthetic and spiritual beauty.
When one lives in Bali, it feels good to hear the harmonious and enthusiastic voice of Vivek Bammi, to absorb his images and knowledgeable words about beauty and astonishing diversity. He reminds us that Bali provides a softer and calmer pace of life and teaches us to smile. His message to embrace Indonesia’s culture and all the cultures of the world for what they are and for what they can teach us could not be better words of wisdom today.
Dr Bammi has published two books that combine photography and text, “Golden Buddhism” (2002) and “Indonesia- A Feast for the Senses” (2005) and he is also the co-author of two recent texts for the International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge, from Oxford Univ. Press (2007) and Heinemann (2008).
